New tech turns your arm into a smart watch touchpad

Carnegie Mellon researchers may help you to work around that tiny touchpad.

Gottheil noted that there could be issues with the new technology, such as when the user is wearing long sleeves or the battery life of the ring.

Carnegie Mellon also said the ring's battery is one of the challenges with the technology.

"The system has some limitations," the university said. "Keeping the ring powered up is a challenge. Signals also tend to change as the device is worn for long periods, thanks to factors such as sweat and hydration and the fact that the body is in constant motion."

CMU also reported that researchers believe the technology, including the high-frequency signals emitted by the ring, are not harmful to the user.

"The technology is safe," the university said. "No evidence suggests that the radio frequency signals used by SkinTrack have any health effects. The body is commonly excited by daily appliances -- everything from the tiny amounts of current drawn from the finger by touchscreens to the electromagnetic noise emanating from fluorescent lights -- with no ill effects."